The Hand of the Dead
by Yoda
Summary: Ooooh, a bit scary this one, but like all good Mummy related stuff I'm sure you'll find a few laughs, my first Mummy fic, please be nice and R/R like civilised readers.
1. Chapter 1: The Beginning [well what else...

A/N: Well this is my first attempt at a Mummy fic so be very understanding if my Egyptian is flawed and be nice at the end and give good constructive reviews etc

A/N: Well this is my first attempt at a Mummy fic so be very understanding if my Egyptian is flawed and be nice at the end and give good constructive reviews etc. I hope you all enjoy this attempt, which is set a little while after 'The Mummy Returns', and if you're lucky I may have enough time and effort to finish it before long…providing you like it as well that is…

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THE MUMMY

The Hand of the Dead

Chapter One: The Beginning

Breathing hard Abdul Al-Hamad ran through the black desert, the cool sand flowing beneath his feet and between his toes as he stumbled over the dunes that covered the land. He kept looking over his shoulder as one who is hunted will do, his eyes wide he did not care that his running feet beat an unsteady path that caused him to stumble with every step, all he cared about was moving away. He couldn't here Gerrard anymore, a brief scream had rent the air earlier, _but that was just a hawk,_ Abdul told himself, right now Gerrard was probably back home where there were no desert hawks to scream, he could even see his friend warming his feet by the fire.

Concentrating on his friend's wellbeing was distracting Abdul but even as he shook his head to clear the images disaster struck. In the darkness he couldn't see the drop on the other side of the dune, he only felt his feet touch empty space instead of cool sand before he plummeted over the edge of the mountainous dune. Rolling down he felt the sand biting into his skin as he grazed the service, as the moon sunk from his vision he fell further into the blackness, down and down, until with a bone jarring thump he landed at the bottom of the slope. Breathing deeply Abdul looked up and was rewarded to see that black edge of the dune cutting into the moonlit sky with no interruptions, nothing was following him now.

A sudden ragged breath caught his attention and with a sharp gasp he noticed the huddled lump that was also resting at the bottom of the slope. 'Gerrard?' he whispered in his native tongue, 'is that you my friend?' and gingerly he reached out to his friend and turned him around by the shoulder. In the darkness his friend's face was just visible as he half turned and with a relieved gasp Abdul embraced him, 'I thought that you were gone,' pulling back he suddenly found his voice gone as he looked once more into the face of Gerrard. The left side was his, but the right was now a mass of rotting flesh and sinew, a mad eye stood out amidst the tangle of skin that was steadily deteriorating before Abdul's eyes.

'NO!' he cried, his voice suddenly returning as he backed away from Gerrard as he rose to reveal his crumbling and decaying body, his clothes too were ragged and tattered as if worn by the ages. Scrabbling across the floor Abdul did not notice the ground behind him shifting as his body neared it, all he cared about was escaping his friend, but then even Gerrard was too much to worry about. Moving over the shifting sand Abdul realised his mistake as his left shoe was torn from his foot by an unseen force, but it was too late, before he could scream a desiccated hand shot up from the ground and clamped around his mouth, pulling his head down sharply. Abdul tried to reach up and pull back the hand but two more had pinioned his arms while others secured his legs, muffled screams passed through the rotting hand as his body was dragged under the sand and with a crack and a jerk his neck was swiftly broken.

The lifeless Gerrard remained on the surface of the desert for a few seconds, his mad eye looking around, Abdul had not noticed the other had been ripped from it's socket, until the still body was taken under the shifting sand. With a deliberate slowness he suddenly began to sink back into the sand, his body now fully consumed by the rotting until he too was taken under by the shifting surface.

A few seconds later the shuddering sand was still once more, and the calm of the desert night descended once more.

***

'Move! Move!' shouted Rick O'Connell as he chased the car through busy London streets, swerving madly, the out of control vehicle was headed straight for the flimsy wall separating the road from the Thames. 

'Alex! Put the bloody brakes on!' shouted Jonathan Carnahan as he ran beside his American brother in law, and was briefly surprised when the tyres squealing and car slowing let him know his nephew had done just that. 'How about that?' he started triumphantly when a loud bang signalled the collapse of the discs and the car resumed its hectic course down the street, 'oh bugger.'

Inside the car Alex O'Connell was madly pumping down on the brake pedal, jamming the horn and madly trying to avoid crushing people against the side of the street while also working on opening the door which was solidly shut beside him. Looking up from the steering wheel Alex's face twisted into that of someone who knows they're in trouble, but isn't yet experiencing it, the wall was only two yards away. Preparing for the yell that was threatening to escape his mouth, Alex relaxed his grip on the wheel and took a deep breath as the wall loomed closer.

With a crunch the door shot open and a strong arm reached in and pulled him out as if he was a toy, clutching him his rescuer jumped from the car and rolled to safety on the side of the road. Covering the boy with their cloak as the car leapt towards the wall a strong voice whispered in Alex's ear; 'this will be loud.' Up the street Rick and Jonathan leapt for cover with half of the Londoners who littered the street as instead of ploughing through the brickwork the car exploded as the petrol tank was crushed up against it. Beneath the cloak Alex felt the heat of the blast and small bits of car bounced off his body as the cloaked billowed from their impacts.

Rising out of the gutter Rick picked up a twisted bit of metal that lay nearby his huddled brother in law, turning over the symbol that had once been proudly perched on his car's radiator, he moved down the street to where Alex and his caped rescuer had risen. 'Ardeth Bay,' he said in greeting as Alex gazed up into the tattooed face of the Med-Jai warrior, why is it when you show up I just know something bad is gonna happen to my car?' but with a wide grin he took the man's hand in a strong shake.

Behind him Jonathan had finally ambled down the street after wiping his shirt clean of the black marks the petrol cap had bestowed upon him, 'Hello Ardeth old boy,' he said, shaking the man's hand, 'nice timing again I see.' And with this all three of the men turned to look down on Alex who was still half hidden beneath the Med-Jai robes.

'It wasn't me?' he tried.

'Of course not,' said Rick, placing a firm hand on his son's shoulder, 'but whaddya say we just go and see mom and let her know how you just happened to send my car into the Thames. And then, you can have a nice cup of tea while she and I talk about insurance–'

'–and why I'm here I hope,' Ardeth interrupted, hiding a smile at Rick's charade to Alex.

'–why Ardeth has visited us and then, well, we'll talk pocket money and the next six years.' Walking behind the father and son Ardeth and Jonathan listened to the sudden eruption of protests the flowed from the nine year old and hid smiles as the two began arguing over handbrakes and clutches.

'So Ardeth,' Jonathan said as the two fell in step, 'how's Egypt been recently?', the reply was not one he wanted to hear.

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A/N: That's it folks, so what do you think so far? And by the way this chapter is dedicated to Lord of the Net for introducing me to the wonderful world of Mummy fanfics with 'The Golden Pyramid'. Please read and review all you nice, nice people out there…


	2. Chapter 2: Not Again [...again]

A/N: As you have probably noticed by the Chapter title, this will be fondly reminiscent, and before I forget again, only the plot is mine in this fanfic

A/N: As you have probably noticed by the Chapter title, this will be fondly reminiscent, and before I forget again, only the plot is mine in this fanfic. And also I realise the Med-Jai should be Med-jai, but I have a fixation with cool names having more capital letters than necessary, so just keep reading and reviewing please…

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THE MUMMY

The Hand of the Dead

Chapter Two: Not Again

Sighing to herself Evelyn O'Connell pulled out her rag as she found another scratchy display on the case of the sarcophagus in front of her. So busy was she wiping at the slogan of 'Tuttenkamen woz 'ere' that the desiccated hand that slumped on her shoulder took her completely by surprise and caused a very loud shriek to echo through the halls of the British Museum. Turning round she saw a grinning Jonathan, her silently shaking son and husband, the scornful looks of museum patrons, and the puzzled look on the face of the Med-Jai warrior nearby. 'You know Evy,' Jonathan said as Rick and Alex began quaking with laughter, 'I really do think you should stop selling these in the gift shop.' He held in his left hand a rubber mummy arm that had, until recently, been residing in the window of the museum gift shop, chuckling silently he handed the arm back to Alex and turned back to be hit in the face with the dirty cloth.

'Serves you right,' Evelyn muttered primly to Jonathan, 'and if that slogan hasn't disappeared soon, I'll put you in the sarcophagus.' For Jonathan, face covered in soapy water, it was a chore, but for Rick and Alex it was too much and in seconds the two were hooting with laughter. Marching purposefully over to them she clipped the both of them round the head that sent them into further fits as they rubbed their hair where her hands had landed. Turning finally to Ardeth, who while looking fierce had a worried look in his eyes as she approached, but all he got was a warm embrace and kiss from her. 'I have just one question for you Ardeth,' she said as she finished her welcoming hug with a warm smile, 'just what's gone wrong this time?'

***

Halfway down the corridor from which the greeting was taking place another caped figure watched as Evelyn disengaged from Ardeth and turned back to her husband while Alex was now looking over the sarcophagus Jonathan was frantically cleaning. Unlike Ardeth however, this caped figure appeared to be invisible to the other people around the museum, while many gave the Med-Jai odd looks, this figure had attracted none. Too far away to hear the conversation now ongoing between the O'Connells and Bay, the figure was content enough to rest silently against the wall, seemingly at home among the mummies that lay entombed forever alongside it. _Soon, soon._

***

'So then, what's happening then Ardeth?' Rick asked as he wife moved alongside him, 'you told Jonathan things were bad right, how bad?'

'Bad enough that I will not speak of it here,' the Med-Jai replied, 'can we return to your home, I think it will be safer for all there.'

'Depends,' Rick said, 'didn't happen to bring any reincarnated spirits or mad fanatics with you again I hope?' getting a smile from his wife who remembered the last time the Med-Jai had been at their manor house.

'I wouldn't be surprised,' he replied with a hint of humour, 'but for now, we go please?'

'Why not?' Evelyn replied for Rick, 'I could use the rest of the day off, now that Jonathan's cleaned my last sarcophagus.' Turning round with a mischievous glint in her eye she saw her brother's hand move over a little scrawl, then with a panicked look he opened the sarcophagus and climbed inside getting a whoop from Alex. 'Suits him,' she said with a wink to her husband, then they began to walk for the stairs, Alex beside his mother and Ardeth stalking along behind.

A few seconds after they had passed a row of sarcophagi, a shadow detached itself from the wall and began to follow the group as the made for the exit, none of the patrons seemed to notice. But, Jonathan, who had just exited his hiding hole saw as it slipped behind the group and with a stealth previously unknown, he too began to track the figure. Down the steps they went out to the front of the museum where the sun turned the front of the building a deep crimson as it slowly began to settle down in the sky.

'Rick,' Evelyn said as they finished descending the marble stairs, 'where's the car?'

'Funny you should mention that,' he replied after placing Alex in front of her and walking over to the nearby taxi rink.

'Erm…where to begin?' Alex said, standing very still in front of his mother.

***

The shadowy figure had not followed the O'Connells and Bay down the stairs, but had instead moved alongside the museum walkway to the car park at the rear of the building. Creeping silently Jonathan felt his sleeve for the reassurance of his gambler's pistol, then turned the corner as the figure descended to the car park, what he saw was bad.

***

'And that's why we need a taxi…' Alex trailed off as Evelyn stared into his vaguely innocent eyes, judging the story that had been told in an unsettling pause for her son.

'You know Alex,' she said finally, 'you're too much like your father,' then with a laugh she held her son close, 'as long as you're not hurt, I'm sure you father will buy _another_ car soon.'

A piercing whistle interrupted the hug as Rick hailed a fleet of taxis that was coming down the road, 'Just like buses,' he muttered to himself, 'ten minutes and then three at once. TAXI!' he shouted again as the cars began to indicate for the rink outside the museum. Turning to his family Rick moved to the door of the first taxi and pulled it open, 'hey guys! The rides here, and where's Jonathan got to? Can you wait a few minutes?' he directed the question to the driver and instead found himself looking into the scarred, leathery face of an Arab. 'You're not from London are you?' he said with a smile.

With a wild cry the three taxis discarded a motley group of Arab raiders, all armed with cutlasses and knives, a few with small pistols. 'Ardeth!' Rick yelled as he swiftly punched the nearest in the face, 'you promised no mad fanatics!' then running away from the taxis he ducked when the all too familiar sound of a throwing knife whistled through the air behind him. Throwing up his hand and rolling Rick rose grasping the knife between two fingers, 'and this is what happened to the last guy that did that as well!' he shouted, and with a swift throw the dagger buried itself to the hilt in the chest of the raider who had sent it flying at his back.

At the foot of the steps Ardeth now drew his scimitar and yelled an Egyptian warcry before charging into the mob; there were easily six times as many raiders as there were of Rick and Ardeth, but the difference in skill between the two sides was showing. Jumping high over their heads Ardeth landed amidst a group of four, scimitar whirling a deadly pattern as he parried blows and returned with his own deadly force. Rick had now disarmed another of the raiders with a punch to the jaw that had sent the stunned man over the roof of the nearest cab, and with a swift roll and grab he came up in the fray armed with his own sword and a small pistol that he discharged into the nearest assailant.

With a mad cry one raider charged from the fray, bearing down on Evelyn and Alex armed with two swords, 'Kick his butt mum!' the boy shouted but was surprised when his mother quickly picked him up and ran.

'Some advice Alex,' she said as they fled the man, 'when mum has a weapon it isn't a problem, when the evil bad guy has all the weapons it _is_ a problem.'

'Oh, what if he just has one weapon?'

'I kick him somewhere that _really_ hurts like your father taught me about.' Running up the stairs they began to move along the side of the museum when two more Arabs appeared along the side, braving the height Evelyn grabbed Alex and jumped from the side to land athletically on the pavement. _Thank you Neferti_ she thought as she steadied herself, and then the three Arabs landed on the pavement behind her. 'Run Alex!' she shouted, not because of them, but because of the bright lights that now blinded the three as they stood ready to fight.

With a mad laugh Jonathan ploughed the double-decker straight into the three raiders and sent them flying in every direction as he drove merrily along the pavement. Almost flattening them against the wall he opened the door beside Evelyn and Alex who jumped on board as he began to head for the fighting mob in front of the museum. Looking up from their fights Rick and Ardeth dove to the sides as Jonathan sent his bus flying into the rest of the raiders who were still standing, 'hop aboard lads!' he cried as the stunned Arabs began to recover.

'Oh no,' Rick said, 'not again, I remember your last tourist trip Jon.'

'Too late,' he replied, almost too gleefully, 'hang onto your hats!' he said as he gunned the engine, 'or turbans,' he added for Ardeth. 'First stop, O'Connell manor.'

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A/N: Okay, so right now it's more of an Action/Adventure then a horror bit, but the comedy is still there in places and you know that 'something is rotten in the state of _Egypt_…'


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